The majority of autistic children are not happy at school. Far too many are left struggling without the right support or in a school place that cannot meet their needs. That’s why on the 23rd January 2024 we held our #LetEveryAutisticChildLearn event in parliament. Almost 7,000 of you invited your MPs to come and hear firsthand from autistic people about what needs to change, and it worked! We won’t stop campaigning until every MP understands the importance of a safe, happy and supportive education for every single autistic person.  

Check the list below to see whether your MP came along 

Aaron Bell – Conservative MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme

Joy Morrissey – Conservative MP for Beaconsfield 

Samantha Dixon – Labour MP for City of Chester 

Andrew Jones – Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough  

John Spellar – Labour MP for Warley 

Dr Ben Spencer – Conservative MP for Runneymede and Weybridge 

Robert Buckland – Conservative MP for South Swindon 

Iain Duncan Smith – Conservative MP for Chingford and Woodford Green 

Julian Smith – Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon 

Paul Scully – Conservative MP for Sutton and Cheam 

Sarah Champion – Labour MP for Rotherham 

Andrew Selous – Conservative MP for South West Bedfordshire 

Andrew Bridgen – Independent MP for North West Leicestershire 

Keir Mather - Labour MP for Selby and Ainsty 

Michael Shanks – Labour MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West 

Heather Wheeler – Conservative MP for South Derbyshire 

Navendu Mishra – Labour MP for Stockport 

Gavin Williamson – Conservative MP for South Staffordshire 

Stephen Timms – Labour MP for East Ham 

Steve Tuckwell – Conservative MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip 

Mark Fletcher – Conservative MP for Bolsover 

Olivia Blake – Labour MP for Sheffield, Hallam 

Catherine West – Labour MP for Hornsey and Wood Green 

Andrew Western – Labour MP for Stretford and Urmston 

Daniel Zeichner – Labour MP for Cambridge  

Sir Peter Bottomley – Conservative MP for Worthing West  

Kerry McCarthy – Labour MP for Bristol East 

Debbie Abrahams – Labour MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth 

Maggie Throup – Conservative MP for Erewash 

Mark Eastwood – Conservative MP for Dewsbury 

Martin Vickers – Conservative MP for Cleethorpes 

Dame Rosie Winterton – Labour MP for Doncaster Central  

Peter Gibson – Conservative MP for Darlington 

Dr Lisa Cameron – Conservative MP for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow 

Julian Sturdy – Conservative MP for York Outer 

Richard Fuller – Conservative MP for North-East Bedfordshire 

Gagan Mohindra – Conservative MP for South -West Hertfordshire  

Justin Madders – Labour MP for Ellesmere Port and Neston 

George Howarth – Labour MP for Knowsley 

Dean Russell – Conservative MP for Watford 

Simon Fell – Conservative MP for Barrow and Furness 

Greg Smith – Conservative MP for Buckingham 

Mark Francois – Conservative MP for Rayleigh and Wickford 

Tim Farron – Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale 

Caroline Nokes – Conservative MP for Romsey and Southampton North

Victoria Prentis - Conservative MP for Banbury 

 

The following MPs sent a staff representative on their behalf: 

• Andrew Rosindell 
• Phillip Davies 
• Barry Sheerman 
• Jeremy Wright 
• Jacob Rees-Mogg 
• James Heappeny 
• Dr Luke Evans 
• Julia Lopez 
• Abena Oppong-Asare 
• Bim Afolami 
• Marcus Jones
• Margaret Greenwood 
• Richard Drax 
• Philip Dunne 
• Paul Blomfield 
• Dame Eleanor Laing 

 

Get in touch with your MP 

If your MP couldn’t attend, you can still get in touch with them to help them understand the difficulties autistic students have getting the support they need or to share your own experiences of the education system. You can find your MP’s contact details here. Alternatively, many MPs meet with their constituents in person to talk about concerns at regular ‘MP surgeries.’ Your MP’s website, or your local library, may have more information about when and where surgeries are taking place, or you can contact your MP's office to ask about surgeries. 

 

Statistics you can share with your MP: 

• Only 26% of autistic children feel happy at school. 
• A quarter (26%) of parents waited over three years to receive support for their child   
• Three quarters (74%) said their child’s school place did not fully meet their needs – this has almost doubled since 2017   
• Seven in ten autistic children and young people said school would be better if more teachers understood autism. Yet in 2023, we found only 39% of teachers in mainstream schools have received more than half a day’s autism training. This falls to just 14% for secondary school teachers. 

If you hear back from your MP, let us know at campaign@nas.org.uk 

 

Further information  

• Education report
• Read Max’s story showing the impact the right support can have
• See the winners of our Autism Friendly Schools competition